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Hello everyone,
I am having problems finding my gg grandfather.Sorry if this is a little long winded.
JOHN WILKINSON was b1848, but this does vary ,Lincolnshire.
I have his marriage certificate.
He married 1876 at Bury registry office.
He is 28 yrs and an engine driver in an iron foundry.
His father was JOHN WILKINSON a famer.
1881 census states he is living in Bury Lancashire and reads as follows ;-
alfd wilkinson b1880 Bury son
Elizth Wilkinson b1858 crewe cheshire wife
John wilkinson b 1848 Sleighford lincoln head ( fire beater )
John Ed Wilkinson b1879 bury son
Mary Ann Wilkinson b1878 bury daug
Phillis Wilkinson b1877 bury daug

1891 census the family are still in Bury .It states John was born Ashby Lincolnshire and he was b1846. He died before the 1901 census.
My problem is I cannot find his birth,there are just too many John Wilkinsons,nor can I be sure which is the correct John in the 1861 and 1851 census's.
I really could do with some help .

On the 1871 census I found a John b1851 Thornton Lincolshire living in Bury as brother in law . Census as follows
ALICE FETHNEY 7
JOHN FETHNEY 33
JOHN WILKINSON 20
i FOUND A MARRIAGE OF A ellen Wilkinson to john fethney in 1863 which ties in.
From this on the 1861 census there is a John Wilkinson b1848 THORNTON LINCOLNSHIRE who is living with EDMUND GOODWIN b1836 and ELIZA GOODWIN B1841 HE IS CLASSED AS BROTHER IN LAW AND I have found the marriage of Eliza Wilkinson 1861 glanford brigg lincolnshire which ties in but I have no idea if this is the John I want.
Go to the 1851 census I cannot find a JOHN,ELLEN and ELIZA WILKINSON all together with a father John.
I just do not know what to do next any ideas ? I would be ever so grateful.
Do you think I have the correct John ? Is THORNTON near SLEIGHFORD ?
Can anyone find a different JOHN WILKINSON that fits in better ?
Sorry there is so much info but thought it important to give you the whole picture
Thank you for reading this,
Kath

This one has a father who is a farmer:

1851 England Census
about John Wilkinson
Name: John Wilkinson
Age: 5
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1846
Relation: Son
Father's Name: John
Mother's Name: Zillah
Gender: Male
Where born: Kirton Fen, Lincolnshire, England
Civil Parish: Fosdyke Fen
County/Island: Lincolnshire
Country: England
Registration district: Boston
Sub registration district: Boston
ED, institution, or vessel: 18
Household schedule number: 20
Household Members: Name Age
Mary J Clerk 16
Sarah Pick 15
Eliza H Wilkinson 2
Holmes Wilkinson 11
John Wilkinson 48
John Wilkinson 5
Zillah Wilkinson 41
Zillah H Wilkinson 8

Rose

Thank you Rose.
I will take a look and try to follow this John through the census.
It is so difficult when they keep chaging his town/place of birth.

I can't find a Sleighford in Lincolnshire. Perhaps it was Sleaford?

Rose

Hi Rose,yes that is the only place I can think it means . I have had a look at the John you found and by 1871 he is a butcher and as the John I am looking for was an engine driver from 1878 I do not think this is the correct John,too big a career change.

Who were the witnesses to the marriage?

Rose

They have not helped me at all.
They were ANNE BANKS and now this is difficult to read,it looks like GEV.A.MELLING,NOT SURE WHAT THE FIRST NAME CAN BE BUT IT IS DEFINATELY mELLING

Here's the John from the Fethneys. He''s from Yorkshire:

1861 England Census
about John Wilkinson
Name: John Wilkinson
Age: 10
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Robert
Mother's Name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Thornton, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Bury
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
Town: Bury
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Registration district: Bury
Sub registration district: North Bury
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 175
Household Members: Name Age
Alice Wilkinson 4
Ann Wilkinson 41
Elizabeth Wilkinson 13
John Wilkinson 10
Robert Wilkinson 46

Rose

Here he is with Ellen so this isn't your guy:

1851 England Census
Name: John Wilkinson
Age: 4 Mo
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1850
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Robert
Mother's Name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Thornton, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Thornton in Craven
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England
Registration district: Skipton
Sub registration district: Kettlewell
ED, institution, or vessel: 7d
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 68
Household Members: Name Age
Ann Wilkinson 31
Elizabeth Wilkinson 4
Ellen Wilkinson 11
John Wilkinson 4 Mo
Robert Wilkinson 37

Rose

As the father is ROBERT we can rule that one out !!!

Back to the drawing board then !
Got to take hubby to work,back in 30 mins.
I do appreciate your help. It is so frustrating !

This one says born in Thornton, Yorkshire....it's Yorkshire on the image too.

1871 England Census
about John Wilkinson
Name: John Wilkinson
Age: 20
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relation: Brother-in-law
Gender: Male
Where born: Thornton, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Bury
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
Town: Bury
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Disability: View Image
Registration district: Bury
Sub registration district: North Bury
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Household schedule number: 88
Household Members: Name Age
Alice Fethney 7
John Fethney 33
John Wilkinson 20



Have you seen this one?
Place of birth fits with 1891 census...although this one is entered as married

1871 England Census
about John Wilkinson
Name: John Wilkinson
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Relation: Lodger
Gender: Male
Where born: Ashby, Lincolnshire, England
Civil Parish: Manchester
Ecclesiastical parish: St Michael
Town: Manchester
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Disability: View Image
Registration district: Manchester
Sub registration district: St George
ED, institution, or vessel: 24
Household schedule number: 31
Household Members: Name Age
Catherine Caine 6
Joseph Caine 3
Michael Caine 32
Sarah Caine 34
John Dennison 29
Patrick Dorough 26
John Dunn 51
Martin Fred 37
Thomas French 41
William Gooch 51
Michael Hogan 20
John Kennedy 45
Walter Lawles 36
James Millett 28
James Moe 40
Michael Robyan 40
John Russell 27
John Sweeney 24
John Towe 35
Mary Towe 27
George Turner 20
John Wilkinson 26 ..Potato salesman

HI everyone,
thank you for your input.
It does say batchlor on his marriage certificate.
His first child was born in 1879 and his job on that was book keeper at iron foundry so I tend to think he was mostly in the same area of work.

Thanks to everyone who has tried to help,I think this is going to have to be another brick wall I am never going to be able to climb !